Sterilizer for dental hand pieces



Jan. 9, 1940. w, s BEHRENS 2,186,600

STERILIZER FOR DENTAL HAND PIECES Filed Oct. 29, 1953 4. n; M I 1'6 2 ,Z nvenion WALTE R 5. 5 EH RENS aiaamwv Patented Jan. 9, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE p Walter .S. Behrens, Buffalo, N. Y. Application October 29, 1938, Serial No. 237,732

3 Claims.

in general to sterilizers to sterilizers for dental 10, the act of sterilizing. This lubricant must be replaced in a convenient manner in order to prevent excessive and undue wear of the parts of the hand pieces. It is desirable, therefore, when using liquid as a sterilizing medium to also have a receptacle conveniently located containing oil for easily lubricating the mechanism.

I am. aware that sterilizers of this general nature have heretofore been manufactured inv the, I

form of two separate glass bottles loosely mount- 20 ed in a holder. The disadvantage of this form of device, however, is that the accumulation of pumice and other grinding materials which occurs on the inside of thebottle after a short time has a soiled appearance to the patient, and this 25 accumulation which, f itself, is sterilized, is difficult to remove from the interior of the bottle because of the shape of the bottle and the constriction at the mouth thereof. Furthermore, I am aware that single-chambered sterilizers have 9 been suggested which have been loosely supported by a hook engaging some part of the dental engine. Y

One of the principal objects of ;my invention has been to provide a sterilizer of this nature in which the two receptacles shall be constructed of metal so that any accumulation on the inside surfaces thereof shall not be visible to the patient.

Another object has been to provide receptacles so arrangedthat theywill be permanently secured to each other.

Another object has been to provide such metal containers with screwthreaded caps at the bottom, each having a concave upper surface, such surface being so proportioned that it substantially meets and joins the interior surface ofthe receptacle, thus providing a smooth, interior surface which may be easily cleaned with or without the removal of the cap.

Furthermore, my receptacles are so formed as to provide a smooth, unrestricted, and openmouth interior which permits easy cleansing.

Furtherfore, since the receptacles of my device form an integral unit, it is possible to con- 55 veniently attach such unit in rigid manner to the tray of a dentalchair, or to any desired part of the dental equipment.

Other objects have been to provide a device of this nature which may be inexpensively manufactured; convenient to use; and attractive in 5 appearance.

The above objects and advantages have been I accomplished by the device shownin the accompanying drawing, of which:

Fig. l is a front elevation. of my complete device.

Fig. 2 is a plan view, with a portion of the cover broken away.

Fig. 3 is a side, sectional elevation taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. 15

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the fastening means.

=Myinvention, in its preferable form, comprises a body part 5 which is preferably molded from any suitable material. This body part is so Hesigned as to provide two receptaclesfi and l for the reception, respectively, of a suitable disinfectant and a lubricant. Each'of the receptacles formed inthe casting has, preferably, a cylindrical bore It], thus providing an open mouth ll of substantially the same diameter as the bore, whereby there will be no constriction at the mouth to interfere with the convenient use of. the device. I Y

Each of the receptaclesfi and 1 is open at its 30 bottom end where it is provided with interior screwthreads l3 for the engagement of a cap [2 having suitable screwthreads formed on the projecting portionld thereof. The upper surface |5 of the cap is preferably concave and of 35 such radius as to be easily cleaned, either while in'thereceptacle or when removedtherefrom. The relative proportions of the cap and bore of each receptacle is such that the surface [5 of the cap substantially meets and joins the bore of the receptacle so that there is a substantially smooth, unbroken interior surface in each of the containers, which avoids pockets for the accumulation of sediment in the disinfectant and makes it possible to easily clean the device.

The cap l2 may be conical on its lower end so as to give to the device an attractive appearance and, when so constructed, I preferably providefinger tabs l6 thereon. These finger tabs may be two in number if desired and are, there-'1 i fore, oppositely arranged, whereby each cap may be easily removed from the bottom of each container.

A pivoted cover upper ends of both containers 6 and'l.

20 is provided for closing the This cover preferably is formed with a downwardly extending flange 2| which flts the general contour of the body of the device and it is hingedly attached to a pivot .pin 22 which passes through a lug 23 formed at the back of the cover. Pivot lugs 24 are formed on the body 5 and arranged preferably back of each receptacle. The pivot pin 22 is designed to passthrough these lugs, whereby the cover will be pivotally supported thereby.

Arranged at some convenient place upon the body, and preferably at the side of the receptacle 6, is formed a supporting pad 25 which provides means for securing any type of bracket 26 to the device. Any suitable bracket may be used in connection with my device, and its design will depend upon the place where the sterilizer is to be used. A very convenient location is at the edge of the usual porcelain instrument tray which is supported from beneath by a spider arrangement having radiating arms. The bracket shown, therefore, has a horizontally arranged arm 30 havingtwo pairs of outwardly extending ears or tabs 3| and 32 at spaced distances, each pair of which being designed to be used with a clamp or strap 33. Each clamp or strap is held in place by means of screws 34, and the horizontal arm and clamp is so formed as to provide a recess 35 of the proper shape to fit the arm to which the bracket is to be attached. A downwardly extending arm 36 is provided on the bracket for cooperation with the pad 25, and this arm is secured to the pad by means of screws 31.'

If desired, I may provide spring clips 40 near the top of each of the containers between which the hand piece may be slipped for temporarily holding the same in place in the sterilizer or lubricant.

Obviously, my device, because the receptacles are integral with one another, may be firmly and conveniently held in position on any part of the dental equipment without the possibility of tipping over the receptacle or spilling the contents thereof.

When the device is to be used, it is only necessary to raise the cover 20 and to insert the hand piece of the dental tool first in the disinfectant in the container 6, after which it can be immediately transferred to the receptacle 1 containing the lubricant. When my device is to be used for sterilizing a contra-angle hand piece, the same may be removed from the dental tool, if desired, and dropped into the sterilizer and then into the lubricant, my receptacles being of such depth that this operation maybe conveniently accomplished.

Because of the opaque nature of the containers, it is obviously not necessary to so frequently clean the containers since the patient cannot see the condition of the interior. When cleaning it is, however, a very simple matter. It is only necessary to remove the cap at the bottom of each of the containers, one at a time, draining the liquid contained therein into a suitable receptacle, after which the interior of the receptacle may be easily and conveniently cleaned.

Likewise, the concave surface l5 of the cap can also be easily cleaned. When made of metal,

my device may be plated and polished so as to have a very attractive appearance.

While, in the preferred form of my invention, the receptacles are molded integrally in one casting, it is obvious thatthese receptacles may be separately constructed and secured together by any suitable means. Moreover, the bore in the cylinder may be varied somewhat from the cylindrical form shown and described and the mouth thereof may also be varied in shape. Furthermore, while I have shown the caps as being conical in shape, and having finger tabs or wings, it is obvious that these caps may be cylindrical, if desired, and provided with knurled surfaces. Other shapes may be used without affecting the utility of my device, and it is, therefore, obvious that these and other modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims, and I do not, therefore, wish to be limited to the exact embodiment herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A sterilizer for dental hand pieces, comprising a one-piece body having two parallel, interspaced receptacle-forming bores of round and uniform cross section, extending entirely therethrough from top to bottom with bracket means on the side of the body for permanently mounting the same, individual liquid-tight bottom closures for the receptacle-forming bores independently removable for cleaning each bore, each closure being fitted into its respective bore and h8.ving a substantially concave sediment-collecting basin inwardly from the walls of the bore, and a. cover common to both bores and mounted on the body to move clear of said bores, whereby upon removal of the closures, free access will be given to both bores through each end for cleansing the same.

2. A sterilizer for dental hand pieces, comprising a one-piece body having two parallel interspacedreceptacle-forming bores 01' round and uniform cross section, extending entirely therethrough from top to bottom with bracket means on the side of the body for permanently mounting the same, individual liquid-tight bottom closures for the receptacle-forming bores independently removable for cleaning each bore, each closure being threaded into its respective bore and having a substantially concave sedimentcollecting basin inwardly from the walls of the bore, said closure having its exterior bottom portion formed with a hand hold of relatively reduced proportions, and a cover common to both bores and mounted on the body to move clear of said bores, whereby upon removal of the closures, free access will be given to both bores through each end for cleansing the same.

3. A sterilizer for dental hand pieces, comprising a one-piece body formed of opaque material and having two parallel, interspaced receptacleforming bores of round and uniform cross section, extending entirely therethrough from top to bottom with bracket means on the side of the body for permanentlymounting the same, individual liquid-tight bottom closures for the receptacle-forming bores independently removable for cleaning each bore, each closure being fitted into its respective bore and having a substantially concave sediment-collecting basin inwardly from the walls of the bore, and a cover common to both bores and mounted on the body to move clear of, said bores, whereby upon removal of the closures, free access will be given to both bores through each end for cleansing the same.

WALTER S. BEI-IRENS. 

